ODU, Hampton, W&M tip off basketball seasons

Old Dominion enters its last lap around the Colonial Athletic Association with a new look and a different rallying cry, while Hampton and William and Mary aim to prove that last season's dismal records were a fluke.

The local Division I college basketball season starts off with a slew of games Friday, highlighted by the Liberty Tax Classic at ODU's Constant Center and a doubleheader at William and Mary.

ODU hosts three teams and the round-robin event has games Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Monarchs open against Holy Cross at 7:15 p.m. Friday, coached by Hampton native Milan Brown, and face Morgan State on Saturday and future Conference USA opponent Texas-San Antonio on Sunday.

Old Dominion paid an outfit called Basketball Travelers $225,000, according to athletic business manager Ken Brown, to organize the event. The three-day event is classified by the NCAA as an "exempt" tournament, meaning it counts as only one game toward the maximum number of games permitted.

Coach Blaine Taylor wanted to hold such an event for several reasons: More home games, particularly for a team with more freshmen and newcomers (7) than returning players (5); since ODU is ineligible for the CAA tournament, as a departing member, every game is a chance to improve its resume for potential postseason consideration.

Versatile junior Donte Hill told the Virginian-Pilot that the Monarchs have to treat every game like a tournament game, without the possibility of a conference tournament and automatic NCAA berth. ODU plays an ambitious non-conference schedule that includes games against Virginia, VCU, Murray State, Richmond and Central Florida.

William and Mary and Hampton play at Kaplan Arena at 7:30 p.m. after the Tribe women open their season against East Carolina at 5. The Tribe went 6-26 a year ago in a season scuttled by injuries and inconsistency almost from the start.

W&M returns three starters, led by forward Tim Rusthoven, as well as all-rookie selection Marcus Thornton and forward Kyle Gaillard, sidelined all of last season with an injury.

Hampton, too, was hampered by injuries in a 12-21 season that included a 1-13 road record. The Pirates return only two players who logged significant starts — forward Wesley Dunning and center David Bruce — and have nine newcomers, the best of which might be junior college transfer forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell.

The Tribe women aim to improve on a 10-20 season in which they lost 15 of their last 17 games. They return four starters, led by double-figure scorers Emily Correal, Janine Aldridge and Jackie McKenna.

ODU's women open their season on the road Friday at Virginia Tech. The Lady Monarchs, in their second year under coach Karen Barefoot, come off an 11-21 season, the program's worst since 1990-91 (5-21).

ODU returns three starters, including CAA Rookie of the Year Ashley Betz-White, and have six new players, including junior college All-American Shae Kelley and two alums of Boo Williams elite travel team: LaQuanda Younger (Warwick) and Galaisha Goodhope (Princess Anne).